Self-adjusting wedge



` 1,587,802 R. SPENCE SELF ADJUSTING WEDGE Filed oct. a. 1923 June 8 1926.

Patented June 8, 1926.

4ontreo raient @oFFlc-E..

`nonnen stunten, or WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, banana.

`SIIlLrF-ADJUSTIING' WEDGE.

Appncanon mea october s, 1923. 'seriai- No. 667,3'85'.

of wedges which when introduced between' the engine and tender will automatically adjust themselves to take up the varying slack between the engine and tender.

A further object is to'providea pair of selfadjustable wedges which can be inserted between the buffers of the engine and tender and do not require t'o be attached tothe engine or the tender.

A further Objectis to construct the parts in a simple, durable and inexpensive manner, and such that they can be relied upon to do the work for which they are designed.

itt-still Afurther object is to provide means for" en'fectively oiling the working parts.

With the above more important objects in view, the invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the wedge blocks as they appear in use.

Fig. 2 is anl enlarged detailed sectional view at 2-2 Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view at 3 3 Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a face view of one of the wedge blocks.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view through the ends of the wedge blocks showing the adjusting bolt in plan view.

ln the drawing like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The rear end of the locomotive engine is indicated at 1, and the forward end of the tender at 2, and the tender is connected to the engine by the customary draw bar (not shown).

Under road conditions there is always considerable give and take between the engine and tender and in order to take up the slack between them and to prevent unnecessary bumping, the practice has been to place wedge blocks between the bumpers 3 and 4 of the engine and tender.

The wedge blocks which I provide are constructed as now described in detail.

Both wedge blocks designated 5 and 6 are provided with inclined engaging complementary faces 7, ontheir innersides andtheI wedge block 5VV is itted withtfop and bottom;

tianges 8' and 9`be't`ween which'tlie wedgeb moves. l over and vu'ndnhang "the enginebuifers 3, and I consider it desirablefin order tovprel vent any end movement voffthe wedge block 5 t@ attach it t@ the tuansjby a boit j10;

theend's ofthe bolt being slidallly Areceived within suitable slots 11 and 12, provided inv the flanges. This permits't'he inale block to move between and awayv from'the'biiier 3 under the influence-ofthe wedge block rEhe ont-er face of tlieblock'bears against lthe rear lfacev ofthe louder 3 'and` the louter tace ofthe wedge block 5 engages"theiiciirved` front Iface of the buffer 4.

The small end of each wedge blbcki's'pro'- vided with a pocket 13, opening to the inner face of the wedge block and a slot 14 is cut in the small end of the block, the slot opening to the side of the pocket. The large end of each wedge block is provided with a lengthwise extending tapering bolt opening 15, which is aligned with the slot.

A bolt 16 is attached to the small end of each wedge, the bolt having the head 17 thereof entered in the pocket 13, and the shank thereof passing outwardly through the slot of the one wedge and through the hole 15 of the adjoining wedge. The outer end of the bolt is screw-threaded and receives an adjusting nut 18 and carries a washer 19. Between the washer and the end of the adjacent wedge, I locate a spring 20, and obviously the spring can be tensioned by tightening up the nut.

When the wedges have been put in place as shown, one tightens up the nuts to bring the springs under considerable tension and obviously any slack coming between the engine and tender will be automatically taken up by the wedges, the wedge 6 closing in and moving out, depending on the amount of slack.

1t is desirable to provide means for oiling engaging parts and to this end I provide a grease cup 21 which communicates with horizontal ducts 22 provided in the wedges. The horizontal ducts lead to further ducts on the front and back faces of the wedge and on the front face of the wedge 5 as indicated at 23. Vertical channels 24 are Theiflanges vare' suticiently wide to also cut in the faces of the Wedges, these communicating at their upper ends With the ducts 23.

Obviously grease from the cup can be forced through the ducts and between the engaging faces of the appliance.

It Will be observed that my Wedges are not attached in any Way to thel engine or tender except by the bolt l0, so that they are entirely independent of the engine and tender. This saves considerable time in fitting as Will be readily understood. y

The bolt l0 is not essential as the flanges keep the Wedges from slipping down or lifting, and the ends of the Wedges are fitted with extending strikers 25 and 26 which prevent them from shifting suiiciently far to drop out, even if no bolt were supplied. "Where the bolt isprovided the strikers 25 and 26 act as safety devices should the bolt shear off. l

What I claim ask my invention is:

l. In combination With adjacent cars, the ends of said cars being provided with opposing buffers, a Wedge shaped block having the back thereof engaging one of the buffers and the front thereof provided with upper and lower extending flanges to receive vtherebetween the other of the buers, a second Wedge shaped block complementary to the former and inserted between the former block and the latter buer, an adjusting rod attached to the small end of each Wedge block and passing slidably through the adjoining large end of the other block, and an adjustable tensioning spring associated with each rod and engaging the large end of each block. Y

2. In combination with adjacent cars, said cars being provided attheir ends with opposing buffers, a Wedge shaped block having the back thereof engaging one of thel buffers and the front thereof provided with a pair of upper and lower extending Hanges which span the other of the buffers, a pin passing through the latter buer and havingr the ends slidably entering slots formed in the flanges, such pin preventing end shifting of the Wedge block, a second Wedge block complementary to the former and extending between the former Wedge block and tho latter buffer and adjustable spring tensioning means connecting the large end of each buffer with the small end of the other.

Signed at Winnipeg, this 18th day of September, 1923.

ROBERT SPENCE. 

